Power diversion transmission



May 1, 1951 Filed Jan. 20, 1945 O. W. ROOSEVELT POWER DIVERSION TRANSMISSION 3 Sheets-Sheet l O0 IN ENTOR Oliver Wfiooseve 7% TTOR EY May 1, 1951 o. w. ROOSEVELT POWER DIVERSION TRANSMISSION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1945 M .Rw 0 e ms Wm fi W a 0 7a Z 0.

ATTOR EY y 1951 o. w. ROOSEVELT 2,551,396

POWER DIVERSION TRANSMISSION Filed Jan. 20, 1945- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR v Olwer -WR0'0seveZ2f ATTO EY Patented May 1, 1951 UNITED STATES LATENT OFFICE :6 Claims.

-My invention *relates particularly to power diversion transmissionsadapted-to he applied-in the transmission of power bya motor in any-desired type of apparatusalthough it has special applicability to the operation of automotive -vehicles, as for "exampleta'xicabs; buses, trucks, rail cars and locomotives.

-The object of my invention is to-provide transmissionhy means of which --var-y-ing gear motorat too low a gear ratio. Still another-object is to elim-i-nateshocks and wear, as well-as loss in efiiciency, when changing the. gear ratios.

=.4 icc rdingly, my invention .is designed to provide greater operating efficiencyand 1onger life-of the engina chassisg body and I tiresof automobiles.

This is of greatimportance,especially in connection with the-operation of taxicabs, buses,

light'and heavy :tr-uc-ks, etc. Still another 'object-is to provide means for-alteringor automatically chan ging the gear ratios :and, :when desired,

' to eliminate theaautomatic: gear ratio nhanging mechanism and provide ia directidrive. Further objects of=rny invention will appe'ar i rom the -'detailed description or the same hereinafter.

While my invention is capableof embodiment in many .diiierenti forms. for'thepurpose ofsillustration I haveshown only onelform-ithereofiin the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 is a diagrammatic plan view of .a power diversion transmission made in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is atransversesection ofthe same taken on several different planes;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the: same show ingapart of the runner;

Fig. 4 is an elevationvof the clutch-shoesand operating levers forming ai-part of the gear ratio changing transmission;

Fig. 5 is a vertical-sectionof one 'o'ff'thefree wheeling or ratchet devices :used in connection with my invention; and

Fig. 6 is a similar section ;,of another free wheeling or ratchet :conn'ection inithe transmission made in accordancewith my invention.

In the drawings I have. shown a idr-iving sha-ft l which may be .connectedto. or form a partiof any desired motor, as foreexample a-an internal combustion motor, mounted on 'aivehicle, such tor instan'c'eiias .a. taxicab or. bllS,-"Tbh same beingmartried in any suitable bearingsiZ forming-part aofa transmission housing :3. .The inner .endrof .':the shaft: I is also .supportedtfor relativerotatiorriinla :recess 4 :in iaztdriven shaft-.5, ithe: said :shaft i5v'be- 111g connected. to drive the vehicle; by :the usual manually operated :synchro-mesh .gear .engagement aior; direct drive, :plus :a .:-reverse gear, and iuniversalijoi-nt (not-shown) which may Fbemon- .structed in .the .'.usual .manner. The :shaft {.5 ris carried in; bearings 6 and 1 forming a epart .of .thetransmission :housing 3. :On the -;sh'aft I furthermore, there are mounted, Jior rotation therewithnaxplurality -;of-.-:;r adial shafts. ,8, each. D1 which carries :a gconical. satellite gear 9. spaced .away; from'zthezshaft, iandlwhich is: maintained-in place by a diskimember glgflr securedto; the =.shaft 8. zTheconical satellite-gears. 9-on;0n&5ide mesh with azgearifacef' H ofianiannularipower diversion gear izgrotatablezonzthe shaftd and-which is supporte,dvby.:-bearing i3; tormins 1 rp aof-athe transmission housing 3,; @I1d onithe other; side mesh with a .-ge,ar;;:9.a :fast on; the ysha'ftzfi. The said .gear :12, ifwzthermore, has a cyl ndrical p riphery-14; actin a ifriction; brakewwithvpivotedzbrakepshoes 1 and l ,:the low r :ends of which :can e :forced itosether :by mean :of 1 rotatablecamshaft l'jl or any otherinsual operated :byZ-a hand-lever, [1-8. {It willheno the brakeqrshoes wand ulfigha-ve guide-ribs 1.9 and. 2 U ,1- respectively, @VVhich .cooper ate,-, respectiveiv, wi h recesses :21 and": 2-2 rcarrie w yithe walls oi the. trans-mission housing 3.

- 'I he -:g ar1l2, furthermore. has a .gear-facezz23 which meshes with aigeargiaceuzd lof .a gearczfi tightly'securedgto asnaf t ;2 6lcarriedgby -bearings 21 in theahousi-ngfi, the; said gearg25ybeing= connectedrsbyvmeansaofaseries of subsidiaryvggear shafts r 28 to said,; shaft .--26. "The-said; Subsidiary sear hafts 28; iurthermore, :carryonical: e r 29 :thereon which garespaced away from the shaft 26. .'I h e said-.conical;gears.:29, also,; esh with: an. annular; floating: gear 53 I rotatal ly;icarried Joy the "shaft 2 6 rand; supported vinnbea- -ing 32 :on theesaid-housingfi. "Ehetouter periphery of the floating gear 3 {has airiction-face .33 tojcooperate with a pair of;,pivoted-brake shoes 1.34 andtfi, havinseuideribsdfi and SIcarriedinrecesses. 38 :and 1:39 vin .the- 'h using :3. Thahrake shoesgflfand 35:;can;be;;brought;into and out of engagement. to any- ,desired :extent. with :the -i-rictionface 33v rby-means ofra hand lever filla which operatesrcams .3412 .and: 340.420 bring the brake shoes 34 and 35.ytogether toeanysdesired extent.

3 However, they may be brought together, also, automatically by a hydraulic cylinder 35a having pistons 35b and 35c bearing on levers 35d and 35e, on fixed pivots 35 and 35g, which bear on the brake shoes 34 and 35.

The said shaft 26, at its inner end, is rotatably carried in a recess 49 in a shaft 4| which is supported in bearing 42 in the said housing. The said shaft 4|, furthermore, has a bevelled gear 43 having a gear face 44 meshing with the gears 29. Adjacent to the said gear face 44, the gear 43 is, also, provided with a free wheeling connection 45 with the gear 25 by means of tapered ball recesses 45a having balls 45b therein in the usual way, so arranged that the gear 43 may travel faster than the gear 25, but so that the gear 43 must travel at least as fast as the gear 25.

The inner end of the shaft 4| is rotatably carried in a recess 46 in a shaft 41 supported in bearing 48 in the said housing, to which shaft 41 there is secured a rotatable runner 49. On the periphery of the shaft 4| there is an impeller 50 having a series of impeller blades 5| and 52, all of said blades bein arranged radially and connected together by a wall 52a, but the blades 52 being arranged to alternate with the blade 5| and being somewhat shorter than the blades 5|, as shown in Fig. 2. The impeller blades 5| and 52 are arranged adjacent to a series of stationary guide blades 53 and 54 carried in a fixed position in the housing 3, which blades 53 and 54 are also arranged radially and are connected together by a wall 54a, the blades 53 having inner curved ends 55 which extend down to a point near the shaft 4|. In this way chambers 56 are formed by the blades 5| and 52, which communicate with chambers 51 between the blades 53 and 54 to form a circulation space which may be preliminarily filled with any desired liquid, as for example an oil or hydraulic brake fluid. The chambers 56 and 51 can be kept supplied with this fluid through a pipe 51a, having a normally open petcock 5119, leading from a vented reservoir 51c. The housing 3, furthermore, has two sets of stationary, radially-arranged, guide blades 58 and 59, leaving annular spaces 60, 6| and 52 for three sets of blades 63, 64 and 65, respectively, which are supported by stud shafts 66, 81 and 68 located in a floating ring 69. The shaft 66 has several conical gear teeth 18 which mesh with a similar set of conical gear teeth 1| which are on the shaft 61.- Furthermore, on the shaft 61 there are a number of conical gear teeth 12 which will mesh with a similar number of conical gear teeth 13 on the shaft 68. The said shaft 88 is journalled in sockets 14 in the runner 49, and the end of the alternate shaft 68, which extend beyond the runner 49, are each provided with a centrifugal counterweight 15. Also, on each of the shafts 88 there are peripheral gear faces 16 which mesh with intermediate gears 11 located between the respective shafts 68, so that all of said centrifugal counterweights will operate in unison.

Journalled on the shaft 41, furthermore, there is rotatably carried an annular gear 18, and between the said gear 18 and the periphery of the runner 49 there is arranged a free wheeling connection in the form of a series of balls 18a and tapered sockets 18b, as shown in Fig. 6, o arranged that the gear 18 may rotate faster than the runner 49, but so that the speed of the runner 49 cannot exceed the speed of the gear 18. On its periphery, ear 18 has a gear face 19 which meshes with gear teeth 88 on the periphery of a gear 8| which is keyed to the shaft 5.

Also, the cylinder 35a is connected by a pipe 82 to a space between any two of the blades 59. In circuit with the said pipe 82 there is a plunger valve 83 normally seated in closed position by a spring 84, and which is connected to a bell crank lever 85 by a link 85, said lever 85 having a fixed pivot 81 and a link 88 connected to a plunger 89. The plunger 89 is carried in a chamber 90 adjacent to the counterweights 15, and is long enough, as shown in Fig. 2, to bridge across the outer faces of any two adjacent counterweights 15, so as to overlie simultaneously the outermost positions, when rotating, of at least two of said counterweights.

In the operation of the power diversion transmission made in accordance with my invention, it will be understood that the motor, when operating, will, accordingly, rotate the shaft In starting the vehicle, the brake shoes i5 and IE will be in released position with regard to the brake surface l4. Also, the brake shoes 34 and 35 will be in released position before the motor is being started. The torque from the shaft is transmitted and to the driven shaft 5 through the satellite gears 9 through the gears 23 and 24 to the shaft 5 owing at least to the restraint exercised by the gearing and the impeller 50. When it is desired to transmit the driving force to the vehicle for moving the same, the synchro-mesh gear for direct drive (not shown) connected to the shaft 5, is thrown into engagement manually. At the idling speeds of the motor, this will tend, already, to produce some forward motion, inasmuch as the satellite gears 9 will be turning the gear l2 at double the number of R. P. M. of the shaft I, using the gear 9a as a fulcrum. Likewise, as a result of the rotation of the gear l2, the gear 25 and the shaft 4| will revolve, but the gear ratio between the gear l2 and the gear 25 will produce very little power through the torque converter at the idling speeds of the motor. When the motor is accelerated, however, it transmits an effective torque to the shaft 5, through the gear 9a and the runner 49 as well as the gear 18, owing to the force of the circulating liquid in the chamber 56 and 51, which reacts against the fixed guide blades 53, 54, 58 and 59 through the intervention of the movable blades 60, 6| and 82. When the vehicle is adequately in motion to meet the existing conditions, the brake lever 34a is preferably operated to slow down the floating gear 3| to the desired degree, so as to bring it to a stop, thus doubling the speed of the shaft 4| relative to the gear 25. The setting of the brake shoes 34 and 35 can be chosen or predetermined in any desired way, either manually by the lever 34a or so as to bring the brake into action automatically, to the desired extent, by any suitable mechanism, as, for instance, according to the increase of speed of the runner 49, because of the counterweights 15 pushing on the plunger 89 to open the communication of the valve 83 with the pipe 82. Normally, when the mechanism is at rest the counterweights 15 may have been returned to their initial position by the spring 84, but in any event they will be returned by the first flow of the liquid. The greater the speed of the runner 49 the more the valve 83 is opened, and thereby exerting hydraulic pressure to tighten the brake shoes 34, 35. The brake shoes 34 and 35 can be placed in a set position manually so as to retain the gear 3| at rest, under one set of road conditions, or they can be moved into said position automatically by the pressure from the pipe 82. It will be understood that with the increase of speed :of the runner 49 th'e counterweigh-ts'15 willbe moved ou-twardly. The brake shoes 34-and-35 can be released by the hand lever 34a before the vehicle-is being star-ted again 'orwhen unusual grade or other-'road c'onditions make it desirable to do so. As the shaft 5 acquires an increasing R. P. the counterweigh-ts :15 tend to move the movable bl'ades 63, 64 and 65' toward closed positions, so as to "increase the R.P. M. of the runner AB andtheshaft 5, or' to require relatively fewer R. P. M. of the annular gear -I-2, thus providingfor fe wer revolutions :of the driving shaft las'compare'd' with'the driven shaft '5. Also, a's the speed of the runner -49 increases the brake shoes 34 and 35 will be tightened hydraulically from the "pipe 351). In this way, each additional acceleration of the motor serves to increase the R. P. M. of the drivenlshaft 5 as -compared with the engine speedfland: I- have provided, thus, a fiexible and constantlyvariable ratio .of engine speed to the speed f the vehicle, varying. from a lowspeed with a high-torque to a high speed with alow torque. Under'the conditions of operation, furthermore the gear I2 may revolve more slowly than the driven shaft 5. When this has taken placeto a sufficient 'extent if desired the brake shoes I5 and I6 maybe voperated by the hand lever IB-to bring the annular gear I2 to rest, thus .producing an overdrive. The driven shaft 5 will then be revolving twice as fast as the driving shaft I.

In the operation, it is to be understood that the motor will preferably revolve in one direction only, which may be called the positive direction. Before starting the motor the brake shoes I5 and I6 will be released with regard to the brake surface I4, the brake shoes .34 (and 35 will likewise be in released position, and thesynohromesh gear engagement (not shown) for .direct'drive between the shaft 5 and the shaft to thedriven axles will be disengaged. The motor is "then started. When it is desired to transmit driving force to move the vehicle the synchromesh :gear is manually brought into engagement. .The motor at that moment should be idling. Even at idling speeds, once the synchromesh gear is engaged the motor will tend to produce some forward motion of the vehicle for the following reasons: The motor will revolve the shaft I in the positive direction. The torque will be exerted in the positive direction throughthe satellitegear 9 to the gear 9a and thence to the shaft 5. Simultaneously, the satellite gears-9 will revolve the gear I2 in the positive'direction. Th'egear I2 being in mesh with the gear 25, the gear-.25 will revolve in the inverse direction, hereinafter referred to'as the inverse direction, to thelshaft I. The gear 43 will then likewise "revolve in the inverse direction because the free wheelingconnection 45 will lock. The gear 43beingf-as't on the shaft 4|, the latter is the driving shaft for any'desired torque converter which willconvert high speed low torque into low speed high torque, the driven shaft of said torque converter :b'eing geared to the shaft 5 so as to impart torque .in 'the positive direction to said shaft 5. The torque converter shown and described is of a centrifugal fluid type with impeller blades and a runner driven in the inverse direction by the force of the fluid against automatically adjustable rotatable blades set in the runner, the said runner having a gear face in mesh with the gear 8|, which is fast on the shaft 5, thereby imparting torque in the positive direction to the shaft 5. At idling speeds very little torque tending to proauce #forward motion will be imparted to the shaft and hence to the vehicle. "When the motor is accelerated, however, the R. P. :M. or the shaft '4I driving -the torque converter twill -increa'se, creating "the conditions under which a high speed low torque is convertedinto fa high torque :imparted to the driven shaft 25 through the gearing which has been :described. Simultane'ou'sly, fs'in'c'e the- 'gear 9a :acts as ia fulcrt'i n'i for the diversion of power through the gears I2, 25 and free wheeling device 45 to the shaft H, torque is likewise im'parte'd th'rough "said gear 9a to the shaft 5. Forward motion will, accordingly, 'take place when the motor has-been accelerated sufficiently so that the torque i'm"- parted to the shaft 5 through -the torque converter as wella's through theage'ar Missufficient to "overcome the particular resistance to such forward motion which exists under :any given' 'set of road conditions.

Before motion takes pla'cejtha't is to saybefore the shaft 5, with the synchrom'eshgear in mesh, thereby producing drive of the vehicle, begins to revolve th'e-gear I2 will 'revolve'at .twice the R. P. M. of the -motor shaft I. As the shaft 5 starts torevolveiand increases its R. P. M.-, the ratioof of the-gear I2 with respect to theshaft I becomes reducedyet the number of .RHP. M. of thegear I2 can bema'intaine'd. reduced, or increase'd'by changinglthe numberiof R. P. M. of the motor :to meet any attainable speed of the "vehicle under the given road-conditions.

A's-the vehicle increases its R. P. M. the R. P.IM. of the driven shaft of the'torque converterincrease to such an extent that.it becomcsfdesirable toincrease the amount of .power impartedito the shaft 5' through the-satellite gearsiQ :and decrease the amount of power imparted to the shaft'S through the torque converter. This is don'e by setting the brake shoes and 35 inbrder :to1partiallyor entirely lock the'floatingfgear 3 I.,'thereby doubling the R. P. M.of the igear=43with1respect to the gear 25. The resultant increased resistance in the torque 'converter'will -increase the load on the motor by-increasing the torque imparted to the'shaft 5, both through the gear 9a and through the torque converter. If'ithisii's done under appropriate road:condit-ions thelspe'ed of the vehicle will be increasedstill further. Two methods are shown for locking the brakeashoes 34 and 35, one manually, through the operation of the lever 34a, and the other hydraulically. The hydraulic means involves the use of a-hydrau'lic torque converter such, for instance, as the one shown in which the series of counterweights'15, changing the .pitch of the blades 63,:6 land set in'the runner, :are forced outwardly =by centrifugal force as the R. P. M. .of the runner increase, thereby tending :to close-the blades :63, 64 and 65, but which are forced inwardly "by the centrifugal force of the liquid which tends tozo'pen the blades 63,-64*and 65. When forced outwardly the said blades raisetheplunger-"M which-in turn, through the linkage 88, '85 and 86, opens the valve 83 and. permits fluid under pressure in the chamber 56 to flow through the pipe 82 to the hydraulic cylinder 35a to operate the pistons 35b and 350 therein.

The fluid withdrawn from the chamber 5'6 is replaced from the reserve tank 510 through the pipe 51a to the chamber 51 where a reduced pressure exists. Likewise, when the valve 83 is closed again the fluid from the cylinder 35a may return to the reserve tank 510.

Finally, when the brake shoes 34 and 35 have become set, the speed of the vehicle increase still further and the R. P. M. of the gear 9a may exceed the R. P. M. of the gear l2; and, if desired, the brake shoes [5 and i6 may be set manually, thereby creating a 1 for 2 over-drive.

While I have described my invention above in detail it is to be understood that many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the same.

I claim:

1. A power diversion transmission comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft driven thereby, a satellite gear having its axis secured to the driving shaft, a gear forming a driving connection between the satellite gear and the driven shaft, a diversion gearing in driving relationship between the satellite gear and the driven shaft, and a torque converter in said gearing to transmit a high torque to the driven shaft, said transmission being so arranged that the torque decreases with the increase of speed of the driven shaft, including a retarding brake for retarding a portion of said gearing located between the driving shaft and said torque converter, said torque converter having a hydraulic impeller and a runner driven from the hydraulic impeller, and a hydraulic connection from the converter to operate the brake according to the speed of the converter.

2. A power diversion transmission comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft driven thereby, a satellite gear having its axis secured to the driving shaft, a gear forming a driving connection between the satellite gear and the driven shaft, a diversion gearing in driving relationship between the satellite and the driven shaft, and a torque converter in said gearing to transmit a high torque to the driven shaft, said transmission being so arranged that the torque decreases with the increase of speed of the driven shaft, said torque converter including a retarding brake for retarding a portion of said gearing and a power converter having a hydraulic liquid operated im-- peller, a runner and a hydraulic connection from the converter to operate the brake, said runner having a centrifugal weight and a movable blade operated by the weight to restrict the hydraulic liquid flow with increasing runner speeds.

3. A torque converter comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft driven theieby, a runner geared to drive the driven shaft, an impeller, gearing in driving relationship from the driving shaft to the impeller, said gearing including a power driven diversion gear and a satellite gear meshing with the power driven diversion gear and having its axis directly mounted on the driving shaft, an additional gear geared to be driven by the satellite gear, and a brake mechanism hydraulically controlled from said impeller to retard the said additional gear.

4. A torque converter comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft driven thereby, a runner geared to drive the driven shaft, an impeller, gearing in driving relationship from the driving shaft to the impeller, said gearing including a power driven diversion gear, a counter-shaft having thereon gears connecting it to the power driven diversion gear, a satellite gear meshing with the power driven diversion gear and having its axis directly mounted on the driving shaft, a floating gear geared to be driven by the power driven diversion gear through the counter-shaft gears, and a brake for retarding the floating gear.

5. A torque converter comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft driven thereby, a runner geared to drive the driven shaft, an impeller, gearing in driving relationship from the driving shaft to the impeller, said gearing including a power driven diversion gear, a counter-shaft having thereon gears connecting it to the power driven diversion gear, a satellite gear meshing with the power driven diversion gear and having its axis directly mounted on the driving shaft, a floating gear geared to be driven by the power driven diversion gear through the countershaft gears, a brake hydraulically controlled from said impeller to retard the floating gear, a second counter-shaft having a gear driven from the power driven diversion gear and a free wheeling connection in the gearing between the second counter-shaft gear and the power driven diversion gear permitting the overrunning of the second counter-shaft with regard to the said gearing and the driving of the second counter-shaft from the floating gear through the gears on the first counter-shaft when the brake is applied.

6. A torque converter comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft driven thereby, a power driven diversion gear associated with and driven from the driving shaft, a gear secured on the driven shaft, a counter-shaft having a hydraulic impeller thereon for driving the driven shaft gear, a runner driven by the hydraulic impeller and geared to the driven shaft gear, a free wheeling connection located between the runner and the driven shaft gear so as to drive the driven shaft gear but permit the driven shaft to overrun the runner, and gearing including a brake connected with the power driven diversion gear to operate the impeller of the torque converter so as to drive the counter-shaft according to the position of the brake.

OLIVER W. ROOSEVELT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,077,454 Cooke Nov. 4, 1913 1,627,294 Nydquist May 3, 1927 1,822,555 Weiss Sept. 8, 1931 1,900,120 Lysholm Mar. 7, 1933 1,960,705 Kochling May 29, 1934 2,021,526 Stock Nov. 19, 1935 2,135,282 Fottinger Nov. 1, 1938 2,181,118 Burner Nov. 28, 1939 2,309,912 LaZaga Feb. 2, 1943 2,365,879 Jandasek Dec, 26, 1944 2,378,085 Jandasek June 12, 1945 2,383,981 Lysholm Sept. 4, 1945 

